Collecting can be fun and rewarding, but it can also create a lot of unnecessary clutter. When you live in a limited space, this is even more true. Whether you collect Elvis tribute records, Star Wars action figures, or something else, things can quickly pile up.
Maybe your collecting tastes are musical like the ones mentioned above, or maybe you lean toward action figures or rare books. Whatever your particular preference, the same problems with space and clutter apply. This can be true even if your collections are more accidental than deliberate, like dvds or old magazines that you just happen to accumulate.
People often joke about becoming "hoarders"- a fate that no one actually wants. Your home displays your personality to the people who visit you, and when you are bringing people home, especially potential significant others, you want to make a good impression. Of course it's okay to put your interests on show, but you want this person to think you put some effort into organizing you living space. Here are some ideas for reducing clutter and making that evident.
1. Get rid of things you do not need. Be brutal about this. Even as far as your collections go, there are inevitably things that you can afford to get rid of. Perhaps you bought something that you thought was more valuable than it turned out to be. Or maybe something is damaged, and no longer hold the value it once did. Scan your collection for these items, and throw them away.
2. Put things up for sale. If you are honest with yourself, you might find that you could benefit more from those Tori Amos singles if you sold them on the internet than you can by keeping them. You will get rid of some of your clutter, and you can still keep the music itself- just rip the cds to a computer and/or store them on your iPod. It's a win/win situation.
3. Store things away. You might not be able to find a significant amount of stuff you are willing to throw away or sell, but you can surely store some of it. It will still belong to you, and you can display it again once you have a larger living space to work with. For now, help yourself out and store it in order to reduce clutter.
4. Display what you keep in an organized fashion. Regardless of what you store, sell, or throw away, you will probably still have a small excess of stuff. Find creative ways to display it on shelves. Get it off the floor and out of the way. This way, when people come into your home, they will see a purposeful display rather than a jumbled mess.
Do not let your Princess Leia action figures, Elvis tribute records, or collection of first edition poetry books doom you to a cluttered, disorganized apartment. The smaller your living space, the more minimal your collections (or at least the parts of them that you display) should be. Follow the tips above, and take steps to get your stuff in order, so that you can enjoy your things and still have a neat, welcoming place to live.
Maybe your collecting tastes are musical like the ones mentioned above, or maybe you lean toward action figures or rare books. Whatever your particular preference, the same problems with space and clutter apply. This can be true even if your collections are more accidental than deliberate, like dvds or old magazines that you just happen to accumulate.
People often joke about becoming "hoarders"- a fate that no one actually wants. Your home displays your personality to the people who visit you, and when you are bringing people home, especially potential significant others, you want to make a good impression. Of course it's okay to put your interests on show, but you want this person to think you put some effort into organizing you living space. Here are some ideas for reducing clutter and making that evident.
1. Get rid of things you do not need. Be brutal about this. Even as far as your collections go, there are inevitably things that you can afford to get rid of. Perhaps you bought something that you thought was more valuable than it turned out to be. Or maybe something is damaged, and no longer hold the value it once did. Scan your collection for these items, and throw them away.
2. Put things up for sale. If you are honest with yourself, you might find that you could benefit more from those Tori Amos singles if you sold them on the internet than you can by keeping them. You will get rid of some of your clutter, and you can still keep the music itself- just rip the cds to a computer and/or store them on your iPod. It's a win/win situation.
3. Store things away. You might not be able to find a significant amount of stuff you are willing to throw away or sell, but you can surely store some of it. It will still belong to you, and you can display it again once you have a larger living space to work with. For now, help yourself out and store it in order to reduce clutter.
4. Display what you keep in an organized fashion. Regardless of what you store, sell, or throw away, you will probably still have a small excess of stuff. Find creative ways to display it on shelves. Get it off the floor and out of the way. This way, when people come into your home, they will see a purposeful display rather than a jumbled mess.
Do not let your Princess Leia action figures, Elvis tribute records, or collection of first edition poetry books doom you to a cluttered, disorganized apartment. The smaller your living space, the more minimal your collections (or at least the parts of them that you display) should be. Follow the tips above, and take steps to get your stuff in order, so that you can enjoy your things and still have a neat, welcoming place to live.
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